


It's a Love Story...

by PureImaginationFic



Category: Backstreet Boys
Genre: Gen, Holiday, Humor, Romance, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 22:54:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28803150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PureImaginationFic/pseuds/PureImaginationFic
Summary: You know the story of Brian and Vicki, and the story of Neilson and Natalie but what about our other favorite couples of the Jr. BSB universe? How did their love stories start? Now's your chance to find out!
Relationships: AJ McLean/Original Female Character, Howie Dorough/Original Female Character, Kevin Richardson/Original Female Character, Nick Carter/Original Female Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	1. California Love: Bradley and Sydney

**_August 2010_ **

Boxes sat around the spacious apartment, Neilson signed his name on a clipboard "Thanks" he said to a man as the man left.

"Dude" Bradley said coming in, dropping his bags. 

"I know right?" Neilson asked as Bradley looked around, they squealed in delight and began to jump up and down.

"This is so great!" Bradley said happily "our own place" he said sitting down on a small couch. 

"Just you and me dude" Neilson said handing him a bottle, they clinked them together and took a drink. 

"Wow...feels weird don't it?" Bradley asked "No dads, no Kyle, no Harry, no Adam..." 

"Yeah...it's great" Neilson said as they laughed "Come on I'll help you unpack" Neilson said to him. 

"So which room's mine?" Bradley asked. 

"Whatever one you want" Neilson said to him, Bradley smiled and started towards a bedroom "Not that one" Neilson said to him. 

There was a knock at the door "I got it" Neilson said. 

"Hey" Natalie said to him. 

"Hello" he said grabbing her close and hugging her. 

She gasped in delight "Look at this place" she said looking around "It's so great" she said. 

"Isn't it?" Neilson asked. 

"Natal!" Bradley said coming out of his new bedroom. 

"Braddy!" she said happily as they hugged. 

"Braddy?" Neilson asked. 

"I just came to see if you guys needed any help setting up." 

"We got it covered" Bradley said to her. 

"How's it going in the dorms?" Neilson asked her. 

"I love it, I've actually met a few people, I'm just waiting on my roommate" she said to them when she felt her bag vibrate "Oh and this is her, she's at the dorm, so I'm going to go meet her, I'll see you guys later?" she asked.

"Course" Neilson said. 

"Bye" she said kissing him. 

"Bye babe" he said to her. 

"So what's the deal with her roommate?" Bradley asked him. 

"She's from Philly" Neilson replied. 

"She got a name?" Bradley asked. 

"Sydney" Neilson said to him. 

"Don't know what she looks like do you?" Bradley asked, Neilson looked at him a grin on his face "What?" Bradley asked. 

"Seriously?" Neilson asked. 

"What? I'm just curious." 

"Don't tell Nat, she'll want to set you guys up" Neilson said to him. 

"I wouldn't be totally against that." 

"Aww...does Bradley want a girlfriend?" Neilson asked in a teasing voice. 

"It would be nice to have what you and Nat have" he said to him "Plus you know, I didn't find anyone special in high school, maybe I'll find someone here" he said. 

Neilson pouted and hugged Bradley "My little Bradley's all grown up" he said. 

"Get off" Bradley said pushing him away, they picked up a few boxes and carried them into Bradley's room.

~*~

The next morning, Bradley walked across campus, coming across a bulletin board hanging on a wall, he stopped to see all of the notices pinned to the board, he took a sip from his coffee cup.

"Anything good?" someone asked from behind. 

"Nah just a bunch of..." he said turning around to see a petite girl with dark brown hair and brown eyes "Hi" he said to her. 

"Hi" she said taking a sip from her own coffee cup. 

"Uh like I said, nothing really but a bunch of...stuff" he said not being able to take his eyes off of her. 

She stepped forward and looked for herself "I'm actually looking for a map or something" she said giggling "I'm completely lost, you don't happen to know where the book store is do you?" she asked. 

"Oh yeah, I'm actually headed there now, can I walk you?" he asked. 

"Sure" she said. 

"Oh, sorry, I'm Bradley" he said sticking his hand out.

"Sydney James" she said to him "Your parents just stop at Bradley?" she asked as they began to walk. 

"They should have" he said as they laughed. 

"Funny, I like that" she said walking ahead of him. 

"So, Sydney James, you from around here?" he asked as they walked to the bookstore. 

"oh no, I just moved out here to go to school, I'm actually from the east coast" she said to him. 

"New York?" he asked. 

"Philadelphia" she said to him. 

"Wait...you're not _THE_ Sydney" he said to her. 

"I hope not, that doesn't sound good" she said. 

"No uh...a friend of mine is rooming with a Sydney from Philadelphia and I think it's you" he said "Natalie Cappel?" he asked.

"Oh my god! I knew I saw you somewhere before, yeah Nat has a picture of you and her boyfriend on her nightstand" she said to him "So you're Bradley J." 

"That's me" he said to her. 

"Well I was right, you're much cuter in person" she said smiling at him, opening the door to the bookstore and going inside.

~*~

"Neilson!" Natalie yelled from outside the apartment.

"It's open!" he yelled back. 

"You are never going to believe what happened" she said coming in. 

"What's up?" he asked. 

"Guess who Sydney met today on the quad?" she asked.

"You got me" he replied.

"Bradley" she said excitedly "She said they hit it off great, Neilson you know what this means..." 

"We don't interfere and mind our own business?" he asked her. 

"Oh come on! this is perfect, my roommate and your best friend a couple, that would be so great, especially for Bradley" she said to him "Come on he deserves to have exactly what we do" she said to him. 

"Hey" Bradley said coming into the apartment. 

"So...I heard you met someone today" Natalie said. 

"Yeah, Syd's cool I like her a lot" he said. 

"Syd? did you hear that he called her Syd" Natalie said to Neilson. 

"She asked me to" Bradley said to her. 

"So? You think you might ask her out?" 

"Nat" Neilson said to her. 

"I don't know, maybe" Bradley said to her. 

"Maybe? You just said you liked her" Natalie said to him. 

"I've only known her for a day!" Bradley said to her. 

_"Nat..."_

"Shush" she said to Neilson. 

"She asked about you when she got back to the dorm." 

"She did?" 

"Yes and she seemed really happy when I told her you weren't attached...except maybe to him" she said pointing to Neilson. 

"Hey, our bromance is a fact of life she's just going to have to get used to that" Neilson said to her "Right?" Neilson asked as he and Bradley bumped fists. 

"Well anyways, Syd and I are going out tonight with some of the girls from down the hall, you guys should drop by" Natalie said to them. 

"We'll think about it" Neilson said to her. 

"Okay, I gotta go, hope to see you guys later" she said leaving. 

"Told you" Neilson said to Bradley. 

"But you like Syd huh? That's good." 

"I think I'm in love with her" Bradley said to him. 

"What?" Neilson asked.

"We've only known each other for a couple hours but...dude she is amazing, she's so cool and funny, and easy to talk to...and she's _hot_ " Bradley said to him. 

"Oh god do not let Nat hear you say any of this" Neilson said to him. 

"Why do you think I waited until she left?" Bradley said to him as he sat down on the couch. 

"Bradley's in love" Neilson said in a taunting, sing song tone. 

"Shut up" Bradley said to him.

~*~

That night, Natalie and Sydney stood in a crowded bar on campus "Here's to a new beginning" Natalie said clinking a bottle against Sydney's.

"Here here" Sydney said to her. 

"So, tell me more about today, what'd you think of Bradley?" Natalie asked. 

"He's sweet and funny and gorgeous" Sydney said to her. 

"You like him?" Natalie asked.

"Yeah kinda I guess" Sydney said to her. 

"I know we haven't known each other long but we're roommates, you can tell me anything" Natalie said to her. 

"He is so great, I can't believe it" Natalie smiled at her. 

"I've been thinking about him all day, his smile, his eyes..." Sydney said. 

Natalie squealed in delight "Well don't look now but..." Natalie said as Bradley and Neilson came into the bar, they smiled at each other. 

"Hey" Neilson said to Natalie. 

"Hello" she said as they kissed. 

"Syd" Bradley said to Sydney. 

"Bradley J." she replied bashfully. 

"Oh uh Syd, this is Neilson, Neilson, Sydney" Natalie said introducing them. 

"Hi, nice to meet you" Neilson said shaking her hand.

"You too, I've heard a lot about you...interesting name you have" Sydney said him. 

"Yeah..." Neilson said. 

"Should we sit down?" Natalie asked. 

They made their way towards a table, Bradley pulled the chair out for Sydney. 

"Thank you" Sydney said surprised as Bradley took a seat next to her. 

"So, Neilson, I understand you and Bradley are best friends" Sydney said to him. 

"Since day one" Neilson said to her. 

"That's so sweet" Sydney said to him. 

"So Syd, uh do you know what you're majoring in?" Bradley asked. 

"Creative writing or journalism, I want to start a book series" Sydney said to them. 

"That's cool" Bradley said to her. 

"Yeah? I wish my parents thought so" she said to him "What about you guys?" she asked.

"Uh we're criminal justice" Bradley said to her. 

"Both of you?" Sydney asked.

"They do everything together" Natalie said to her. 

"You want to be a lawyer?" Sydney asked. 

"Actually I want to be a cop, once we graduate I'm going to enroll in the police academy" Bradley said to her.

"Wow, really? My dad’s actually a cop” she said. 

“Seriously?” he asked. 

“Yeah, well, police captain” she said. 

“That’s cool” he said “You too Neilson?" 

"Someone's got to be there to save his ass" Neilson said to her, Bradley shoved him. 

"Nat?" Sydney asked. 

"I'm still undecided" she said to her "It's so frustrating I wish I knew what I wanted to do" she said to them. 

"I thought you wanted to be a teacher?" Neilson asked her.

"I thought I did too" she said to him. 

"I'm going to get another drink" Bradley said standing up. 

"I'll go with you" Sydney said to him, as they went to the bar. 

"So, your dad’s a police captain huh?” he asked. 

“Yep, Philly PD” she replied. 

“And your mom?” he asked. 

“She was a pediatrician” she said. 

“Really? My mom’s actually a doctor too” he said. 

“Seriously?” she asked. 

“Yeah, so what does she do now?” he asked.

“Uh well, she actually passed away from breast cancer when I was 9” she said. 

“Oh wow, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to…” he said. 

“No, it’s okay, you didn’t know” she said “But my step-mother is actually a kindergarten teacher” she said.

“Oh wow” he said. 

“So your mom’s a doctor?” she asked. 

“Yep” he said. 

“What about your dad?” she asked. 

“Nat didn’t tell you?” he asked. 

“Oh uh…was she supposed to?” she asked. 

“Well, my dad is...in the entertainment business" he said to her. 

"Oh yeah?" she asked.

"Producer?" she asked. 

"Singer" he said to her. 

"Have I heard of him?" she asked. 

"Have you uh…have you ever heard of the Backstreet Boys?" he asked taking a drink. 

"Well of course...oh my god" she said "You're kidding" she said. 

"I really wish I were" he said to her. 

"Hmmm let me guess...Brian right?" 

"Is it that obvious?" he asked, they laughed. 

"Let's just say there's an uncanny family resemblance" she said to him.

"Yeah..." he said to her. 

"And let me guess...Neilson Carter...Nick Carter?" she asked. 

"Very good!" he said to her. 

"The matching initials come in handy" she said to him. 

"Yeah they only did that so they could remember their own names" he said. 

She laughed "Any brothers or sisters?" she asked. 

"Nope, only child, what about you?" 

"I actually have two younger half sisters, Irelynd and Londyn” she said. 

“I’m sensing a theme” he said. 

“Yeah well, my mom loved to travel and those were two of her favorite places” she said. 

“Oh, your stepmom was okay with that?” he asked. 

“Oh yeah, she and my mom were actually best friends, she promised my mom when she was sick that she would take care of us after she was gone, she and my dad ended up falling in love and they decided to get married” she said. 

“Sounds like a happy ending” he said. 

“It was” she said. 

Natalie watched them from the table "Look at that" she said to Neilson "I think we have a match" she said happily "And all because of _me_ " she said. 

Neilson looked at her "Uh huh..." he said. 

They continued watching Bradley and Sydney at the bar, they continued talking and laughing together. 

"So, Sydney...you want to go out sometime...just the two of us?" he asked. 

"I'd love to" she said as they smiled at each other.


	2. The Geek Gets The Girl: Harry and Greta

Harry walked down the street, looking up at the building next to him, he latched on to the door handle, pulling it open and stepped in. Loud music played, flashes of light went off as a man stood behind a camera, fans blowing back the models' hair as she posed in front of a white backdrop "Very good" he said "Cut!" he yelled. 

Harry stood and watched as the young model went to her make up table, the make up artists moving around her to touch her up. 

"Can I help you?" The photographer asked as he turned around to see Harry. 

"Uh yeah hi, I'm here about the assistant's job?" he asked. 

"You Harry?" he asked. 

"That's me." 

"Great thanks for coming in." 

"No problem" Harry said. 

"You got any photography experience." 

"Yeah plenty I was the photographer for my high school's newspaper, I also took photography classes" Harry said to him. 

"Okay great so you know how to load a camera and develop." 

"Yeah course". 

"Great, let's get started, do you know anything about modelling?" he asked. 

"Uh, not really" Harry said. 

"That's okay, come with me, Greta!" he said as Harry followed him towards the make up station "this is my new assistant, Harry Dorough, Harry, Greta Leoni" Matt said introducing him. 

"Hi" Harry said extending his hand. 

"Hi" she said smiling and shaking his hand. 

"Greta is one of the top leading young models in the industry right now" Matt said to Harry. 

"Matt's too sweet, I'm not that big" she said. 

"Not yet" Matt said. 

"Alright I'll reset, you guys get to know each other" Matt said walking away. 

"So Harry, have you done professional photography at all?" she asked. 

"Oh uh no, this is my first professional experience" he said to her.

"You know you look so familiar but I can't put my finger on it" she said.

"Yeah I get that a lot" he said. 

"Oh yeah?" she asked. 

"Greta, we're ready for you babe" Matt called. 

"Oh, show time" she said hopping out of her chair. 

"Harry just hang back and we'll get you set up later" Matt said. 

"Sure" Harry said setting his bag down and sitting in a chair as Greta posed for the camera. 

She smiled at Harry as the camera flashed and giggled as she continued to pose, he smiled watching her.

"Okay let's take 5" Matt said as Greta returned to the make up station. 

"You were really great up there" Harry said to her. 

"Oh, thank you" she said blushing. 

"Oh uh can I get you anything? Water?" he asked. 

"Yeah a bottle of water would be great" she said "Thanks" she said as he reached into a small refrigerator to hand her a bottle of water "So, Harry, how long have you lived here?" she asked. 

"Oh actually I just moved out here to go to school, I'm from Los Angeles" he said to her. 

"Oh where do you go to school?" 

"Princeton" he said. 

"Wow, Princeton, Ivy League" she said impressed. 

"Yeah well" he said blushing "What about you? Are you in school at all?" 

"Oh no, I started modelling at thirteen and from then on I was homeschooled" she said. 

"Maybe someday though, I'd love the chance to go to college" she said "Course it probably wouldn't be Princeton" she said laughing. 

"What agency are you with?" he asked. 

"Oh just it's a really small agency, nothing really big time, not yet anyways." 

"Well you definitely have a great look" he said "Oh god, wow, I'm sorry" he said nervously. 

"No, that was really sweet" she said, Harry blushed as she smiled at him. 

"Okay I think we got some great shots today, want to check 'em out?" Matt asked Greta. 

"Sure, Harry?" she asked. 

"Oh sure" he said as he followed them to Matt's computer. 

"Greta you have a fitting for that runway show in half an hour" a woman said to her. 

"Oh right, guess I better get changed" she said smiling at Harry as she walked to the dressing room. 

Soon she emerged with a bag on her shoulder "I have to get going" she said to Harry as she picked up the water bottle. 

"Yeah I guess so, well it was great meeting you" he said. 

"Yeah, you too" she replied. 

"I'll see you again sometime?" he asked. 

"Can't wait" she said.

"Greta, the car's here" the woman said. 

"Bye" she said to Harry. 

"Bye" he said as she left the building.

~*~

A few days later Harry took a seat in the student union, his laptop open on a table, his books spread out around him and a cup of coffee in his hand. A man stepped out of a black car, he opened the back door and Greta stepped out "Thank you" she said as he nodded.

She walked up to the door of the student union and looked inside, seeing Harry working intently. She smiled and pulled the door open, people whispered and gawked at her as she walked by. "Harry?" she asked, Harry looked up and did a double take 

"Greta" he said in surprise "Hi" he said to her "Please, have a seat" he said standing up to pull the chair out for her. 

"Thank you" she said sitting down. 

"What are you doing here?" he asked. 

"I was curious to see how Princeton guys spent their time" she said, they laughed. "I just wanted to see if you maybe wanted to hang out? Get some coffee?" she said "Or maybe a refill" she said laughing seeing his coffee cup next to him. 

"Oh yeah that'd be great, there's this little coffee shop right down the street." 

"Great, let's go" she said as he grabbed his things.

~*~

They sat on a large couch in a coffee shop "So where in LA are you from? Hollywood?" she asked as they laughed.

"Kind of, I actually lived in a little town in the hills, very small and secluded." 

"Sounds nice." 

"Yeah it is, I don't know if you've heard it, it's called Hilridge." 

"Oh yeah I think I have heard of that, that's a really nice town." 

"It is, it's small and quiet, not that far from the city" he said "What about you? where are you from?" 

"I'm actually from the Bronx in New York City." 

"Wow" he said. 

"My mom is a nurse and my dad is in construction" she said. 

"What about you? what do your parents do?" she asked. 

"Well my mom's a designer, she owns her own little boutique in Beverly Hills." 

"Wow, what does she design?" she asked. 

"Baby clothes, she has her own line and everything." 

"That's so cool, and your dad?" she asked. 

"Oh he's in the entertainment business." 

"Producer?" she asked. 

"He's...he's a singer" he said reluctantly. 

"Really? Have I heard of him?" she asked. 

"Probably" Harry said "You uh..." he said laughing "Ever heard of the Backstreet Boys?" he asked. 

"Well of course you'd have to live under a rock if you didn't" she said "Oh my god, your dad is a Backstreet Boys?" 

"Yes, yes he is." 

"That's why you looked so familiar! my sister had their posters all over her wall when she was younger, your dad's Howie" she said. 

"Yep" he said nodding. 

"Wow...you look exactly like him it's uncanny" she said. 

"Yeah, that's my curse" he said as they laughed. 

"Oh my god, would it be weird to tell you my sister was hopelessly in love with your dad?" she asked. 

"Actually I get that alot" he said as they laughed. 

"So Matt told me you were the photographer for your high school newspaper." 

"Yeah I was, yearbook too." 

"Well you do have anything I can look at? I'd love to see your work" she said. 

"Really?" he asked. 

"Yeah" she said. 

"Uh yeah" he said pulling his laptop from his bag and inserting a flash drive, she moved closer to him as they looked at the pictures. 

"Wow" she said. 

"Yeah I know, kinda lame" he said. 

"no, these are great" she said 

"Really?" he asked. 

"Yeah, you're really good" she said looking at the pictures as he flipped through them. 

A picture from prom night appeared on his computer screen "oh hey, who are these guys?" she asked. 

"Oh those are my friends, they're the uh other Backstreet Boys' kids" he said. 

"My god you guys are like a mini BSB" she said. 

"Yeah the fans call us Jr. BSB." 

"Really?" she asked. 

"Yeah" he said. 

"I like that" she said "So who's who?" she asked. 

"That's Bradley, Neilson, Kyle and Adam." 

"Neilson?" she asked. 

"Yep Neilson Carter." 

"That's kinda cool, it's different but cool" she said. 

"Try telling him that" Harry said to her. 

"Harry I love your work you're really talented" she said as they walked down the street "Maybe I can talk Matt into letting you work the camera next time." 

"That's okay." 

"No, really I'd love it if I could do a shoot with you" she said. 

"Really? Uh yeah that'd be awesome" he said. 

"Great, oh here, here's my number, call me sometime" she said. 

"Sure, oh uh...here's mine" he said writing it down on a slip of paper. 

"Thanks, night." 

"Night" he said as she leaned in to kiss his cheek.

She smiled at him as she climbed into the backseat of the car, the driver shut the door and got into the front seat, the car pulled away from the curb.


	3. All Through The Night: Nick & Sasha

_**May 1985** _

The sound of a lawn mower buzzed, drowning out the noise of cheering kids from the nearby field. Bryan Adams' Summer of '69 played from a radio nearby as one by one kids lined up to bat. The sky was melting into a cool glow, fireflies began to swarm around, their tail lights glowing green. "Batter up!" one kid yelled, Sasha jumped down from the fence and stepped up to the plate, her scuffed up pink converse becoming dusty with dirt. She picked up the bat and knocked it against the plate. Nick looked at her and smiled before turning around and waving his arms to the other boys, they all began to move in. 

Sasha rolled her eyes at them "Are you kidding me?" she asked. 

"Ready?" he asked. 

"Just pitch the ball Carter!" she yelled at him.

_"Come on Sasha!" "You can do it Sash!"_ her friends yelled, still sitting on the fence. 

Nick pulled the bill of his hat down, wound up and threw the ball to her, with a swift hit she sent the ball sailing, all the boys looked at it fly through the air high above them. He looked at Sasha shocked, mouth agape letting his gum fall to the dirt, she looked at them smugly before dropping the bat. 

"Wow" he said simply as the ball landed back in his glove, she high fived her friends as she hopped back up on to the fence. 

"Hey Carter! Get your head in the game!" another kid yelled at him as he continued staring at Sasha, she waved at him. 

"Okay people back up!" he yelled at the kids behind him.

~*~

"Very good, very good, very good, needs work..." a teacher said passing papers around the room "Sasha, excellent work" he said setting a paper on her desk, she flipped it over to reveal a giant letter A written in red ink. "Nicky...maybe you'll do better next time" he said setting a paper on Nick's desk, he sighed before turning it over and looking at it. He rested his head in his hands and looked at the paper disappointed, the bell rang "See you guys tomorrow" the teacher said.

Sasha noticed he still sat at the desk, she walked over to the desk next to his and sat down "You okay?" she asked. 

"Huh?" Nick asked looking at her "Oh, no, not really" he said getting his things together. 

"You going to be in trouble?" she asked. 

"Like you wouldn't believe" he said getting up. 

She got up "I can help you if you want" she said. 

"Really?" he asked surprised. 

"Yeah, I don't mind" she said to him, she smiled. 

"Okay thanks" he said happily, smiling at her. 

"Why don't we meet after school and maybe we can go to your house..." she said to him before he interrupted. 

"No!" he said "Sorry, uh my parents won't be there" he said nervously 

"Oh okay, we can go to my house then" she said to him. 

"Sure" he said to her. 

"Okay great, I guess I'll see you later" she said. 

"Yeah" he said as she walked away. 

She smiled to herself as she walked down the hallway, he watched her walk away.

~*~

"Okay so you want to flip this fraction upside down and multiply" she said to him.

"Like that?" he asked. 

"Yeah, good job" she said to him. 

"Here we go" Sasha's mom said setting a plate on the table and pouring milk into two glasses. 

"Thanks Mrs. Miller" he said to her. 

"Oh no problem" she said handing Sasha a glass "I'll be right in here if you need anything" she said to Sasha. 

"Thanks mom" she said as her mom smiled at them and left the kitchen. 

"Your mom's really nice" he said as she wrote in her notebook. 

"Thanks" she said to him "What's your mom like?" she asked. 

"Not as nice as yours" he said "How'd you get so good at baseball?" he asked her. 

"I have two older brothers" she said to him. 

"Well I meant to tell you the other day, you're really good" he said to her. 

"Thanks" she said smiling. 

"Sure" he said to her, their cheeks began to blush. 

They both reached towards the plate and their hands touched as they went to grab a cookie, Sasha's mom looked in from the living room with a big smile on her face.

"Its yours" Sasha said to him. 

"Your house" he said to her.

The front door opened and Craig came in with the mail in his hands "I'm home" he said. 

"Shh...! come look at this" Kathleen said grabbing his hand and dragging him over to the kitchen doorway "Look" she said happily "Isn't it cute?" she asked. 

Craig looked at her warily "Adorable" he said in a flat tone. 

"They're just studying don't go grabbing your rifle just yet" Kathleen said to him. 

"Thanks for the homework help" he said putting his books in his backpack. 

"No problem" Sasha said putting their glasses in the sink. 

"Think we can do it again sometime?" he asked. 

"Sure" she said. 

"Okay well I got to get going" he said to her. 

"Okay bye" she said to him. 

"Bye" he said as the back door closed.

~*~

After a few more study sessions together, they were finally able to see the results when their teacher handed back yet another test "Very good, very good, very good, getting better ..." a teacher said passing papers around the room. "Sasha, great work yet again" he said setting a paper on her desk. She flipped it over to reveal a giant letter A written in red ink, they waited with anticipation as he made his way around “Nicky, I was surprised at this one, very nice improvement, keep it up” he said setting the test on his desk.

Nick flipped it over to see a giant B “I got a B!” he said happily. 

“Awesome!” Sasha said to him. 

The bell rang and everyone got up from their seats “Hey do you maybe wanna get some ice cream or something after school?” Sasha asked nervously. 

His face lit up “Yeah” he said before falling in disappointment “But I can’t…I have to go home right after school.” 

“Oh, okay, maybe some other time I guess” she said shrugging and leaving the room. 

“Bye” he said. 

Later that day, she stood by her locker collecting her books “Sasha, I’m supposed to give this to you” a girl said handing her a folded up piece of paper. She unfolded it and scribbled on the inside read _“Meet me at the baseball field tonight- N.C.”_ she smiled to herself and put the note into her binder.

~*~

As twilight began to dawn, Sasha crept quietly down the kitchen stairs, she peered into the living room to see her parents watching TV together. She opened the backdoor and quietly shut it before scurrying off, the streetlights lit up as she walked to the baseball field.

Nick sat up on the fence, two wrapped popsicles in his hand “You made it” he said as he jumped down from the fence. 

“Why’d you want me to meet you here?” she asked. 

“I figured since we couldn’t go for ice cream, I’d bring it to you” he said handing her a popsicle. 

“Thanks” she said. 

They climbed up onto the fence “Thanks for helping me with school” he said. 

“You’re welcome, I had fun studying with you” she said. 

“It was nice to have some help for a change” he said. 

“Don’t your parents help you?” she asked. 

“Not really, they’re not like your parents” he said to her.

“You don’t like to talk about your family much” she said. 

He shrugged “They’re not as nice as yours” he said sadly. 

“I’m sorry” she said. 

“It’s okay” he said to her. 

“You know my mom said next time you come over you can stay for dinner” Sasha said to him. 

“Really?” he asked. 

“Yeah” she said. 

“Too bad school’s almost over” he said. 

“You can come over anyways” she said shrugging. 

“Okay, that’d be cool” he said, 

They smiled at each other and gazed out into the empty field, a blanket of fireflies lit up in the night. 

“Remember when we were little and we would catch fireflies together?” he asked. 

“Yeah, too bad we don’t have a jar” she said. 

“We don’t need one” he said, he cupped his hand together to trap a firefly in his hand.

He opened them to reveal the bug in his hand, it stayed put as it’s tail light lit up. 

“Cool” Sasha said as she sat closer to him, suddenly it flew away and off into the darkness. 

“It’s getting late, I should go home” she said to him. 

“Yeah, if my parents realize I’m gone they’ll kill me” he said as they jumped down from the fence “Night” he said as he turned to leave. 

“Hey wait!” Sasha said, he turned back and she approached him, pressing her lips against his “Night” she said before running off, he smiled to himself and went along home.


	4. Can't We Be Sweethearts: Howie and Christina

_**February 1983** _

The sweet smell of chocolate wafted through Christina’s kitchen, Louise pulled a cupcake tray from the oven and set it on the stove “Okay another batch down, one more to go” she said putting another tray into the oven. 

“Wow” Tracie said coming into the kitchen “What’s with all the cupcakes?” she asked seeing the multiple trays scattered around the kitchen. 

“Well someone decided to volunteer me to bake cupcakes for their class’ Valentine’s party” Louise said looking Leigha’s direction. 

“How many kids exactly are in this class?” Tracie asked. 

“Definitely not this many” Leigha said giggling squeezing a tube of frosting onto a cupcake. 

“Well you certainly won’t have to worry about running out” Louise said “Chrissy sweetie do you want to take some cupcakes for your class?” she asked. 

“Heather’s mom is making brownies” Christina said sticking heart stickers onto a shoe box that had been wrapped in red paper. 

“I need to run to the store for some more frosting and sprinkles can you start on these please?” Louise asked Tracie. 

“Mom…” Tracie whined. 

“Don’t whine, here” Louise said handing her a frosting bag, she plopped down in the chair “I’ll be right back” she said grabbing her coat and purse.

“Since when do fifth graders still do Valentine’s parties anyways?” Tracie asked squeezing the frosting onto a cupcake. 

“Can I take a cupcake?” Christina asked. 

“I thought you just said someone’s mom was making brownies?” Leigha asked her. 

“I know…I want to give it to someone” she said. 

“Who?” Tracie asked. 

“This boy” Christina said. 

“Oooh” Tracie and Leigha said. 

“A boy huh? I thought you didn’t like boys?” Tracie asked. 

“I don’t but…he’s really nice” Christina said innocently. 

They looked at each other “Okay” Tracie said plucking a cupcake from it’s tray, she squirted some white icing on top and sprinkled some heart shaped confetti on top, she then grabbed another tube “What’s his name?” 

“Howard” Christina said, Tracie wrote an ‘H’ on top in red gel. 

“You have a Valentine for Howard?” Leigha asked her. 

“I made him this” Christina said holding up a giant paper heart “You think he’ll like it?” she asked. 

“I think he’ll love it, especially when you give him this cupcake” Tracie said handing it to her. 

“Really?” Christina asked. 

“Sure! Boys love free food” Tracie said to her, Christina smiled and looked down at the cupcake in her hand.

~*~

_“You can step outside your little world, You can talk to a pretty girl, She's everything you dream about…”_

A radio played in the classroom, pink and red streamers were strung from the ceiling tiles, paper heart decorations hanging down. The kids each happily dug into their homemade mailboxes going through their paper valentines, their teacher and some parents walking around the room handing out cups of punch and snacks. 

“Okay kids when we’re finished with our snack we’re going to play a game” their teacher announced “Did everyone get their mailboxes?” she asked. 

Christina went into the coat closet and pulled a small container from the shelf. She took the cupcake out and went back into the classroom, armed with the cupcake and her paper heart she approached Howie's desk. 

Howie looked up at her and smiled “Hi Christina” he said. 

“Hi” she said timidly “I made this for you” she said setting the cupcake on his desk along with the paper heart. 

“Thanks” he said smiling. 

“Happy Valentine’s Day” she said smiling. 

Howie then reached into his desk and pulled out a cupcake as well, pink frosting on top and little confetti hearts and a C written in red gel “I made you one too” he said “Happy Valentine’s Day” he said smiling “Want to sit with me?” he asked. 

“Okay” she said sitting down in front of his desk, their teacher setting cups of punch down for them. 

They smiled at each other and they began to eat their cupcakes together.

_“But don't fall in love, She's a beauty, She's one in a million girls, She's a beauty, Why would I lie? Why would I lie?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics: She's a Beauty- The Tubes


End file.
